Donnell Rawlings
Stand-up comedian · Yellow Springs, OH

Donnell Rawlings

Who Donnell Rawlings is

Donnell Rawlings is a stand-up comedian, actor and podcaster, born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, who served in the U.S. Air Force before comedy. He became known for his sketches as Ashy Larry on Chappelle's Show, where he co-hosted the third season with Charlie Murphy, and for playing Damien "Day-Day" Price on HBO's The Wire. His stand-up special A New Day, produced by Dave Chappelle, was released on Netflix in 2024; he has also voiced Dez in Pixar's Soul, played Mr. Earl in HBO's Winning Time, hosts The Donnell Rawlings Show podcast, and received the Redd Foxx Award from the African-American Humor Awards in 2021.

At a glance

Born
1968
Based in
Yellow Springs, OH
Came up through
Def Comedy Jam
Stand-up specials
From Ashy to Classy and A New Day
Albums
Ain't Worried About... and Ya'll Need to Chill
Podcasts
The Donnell Rawlings Show
On screen
Chappelle's Show, The Wire, The Corner and 9 more
Next on stage
6 October 2026 — Hollywood Improv, Hollywood, CA
Official site
donnellrawlings.com ↗

On stage

Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →

Specials, shows and podcasts

Stand-up specials

Albums

On screen

Podcasts

Where they got their start

Came up the same way

Other comedians in SUCDb who came through Def Comedy Jam:

The Launching Pads: the shows the comedians came through →

Comedians like Donnell Rawlings

Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.

Every stand-up comedian with a page, A to Z →

Career timeline

  1. 1968Born
  2. 1996Def Comedy Jam (stand-up, HBO, 1996) On screen
  3. 2000The Corner (Bread, HBO, 2000) On screen
  4. 2002The Wire (Damien 'Day-Day' Price, HBO, 2002–2008) On screen
  5. 2003Chappelle's Show (main cast, Ashy Larry and other characters, Comedy Central, 2003–2004; co-host of the third season) On screen
  6. 2004Premium Blend (stand-up, Comedy Central, 2004) On screen
  7. 2010From Ashy to Classy (2010) Special
  8. 2011Guy Code (MTV2, 2011–2012) On screen
  9. 2013Guy Court (judge, MTV2, 2013) On screen
  10. 2016Saturday Night Live (Beautiful, 2016; with Dave Chappelle, 2022) On screen
  11. 2017Ain't Worried About... (2017) Album
  12. 2019The Degenerates (stand-up, Netflix, 2019) On screen
  13. 2020Soul (Dez, voice, Pixar film, 2020) On screen
  14. 2021BMF (Alvin, Starz, 2021–2025) On screen
  15. 2021Ya'll Need to Chill (2021) Album
  16. 2022Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (Mr. Earl, HBO, 2022) On screen
  17. 2024A New Day (2024, Netflix; Chappelle's Home Team, produced by Dave Chappelle) Special

Questions about Donnell Rawlings

Where is Donnell Rawlings performing next?

Tuesday 6 October 2026, 9:30 PM — with Crystal Marie and Jack Whitehall at Hollywood Improv, Hollywood, CA, then 11 more dates on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar. Each show's own listing has the last word.

What stand-up specials have they released?

From Ashy to Classy and A New Day.

What podcast do they host?

The Donnell Rawlings Show.

What TV shows and films are they in?

Chappelle's Show, The Wire, The Corner, Def Comedy Jam, Premium Blend and Guy Code, among 12 credits.

Where did they get their start?

Def Comedy Jam (stand-up).

Where are they based?

Yellow Springs, OH, as their record gives it.

When were they born?

In 1968.

Who are some comedians like them?

Dave Chappelle (also in Chappelle's Show), Lavell Crawford (also came through Def Comedy Jam), J. B. Smoove (also came through Def Comedy Jam), Martin Lawrence (also came through Def Comedy Jam) and Adele Givens (also came through Def Comedy Jam).

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.

Their SUCDb record →Their own site ↗

Sources

Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 29 September 2026